The present invention relates to taximeters, and more particularly to a mounting and demounting arrangement for taximeters.
Taximeters are devices which indicate passenger fares as a function of the distance and/or time variables measured by the vehicle containing the taximeter. These variables are directly related to the mechanical motion of the vehicle, and more particularly to a drive component; i.e., any element which indicates the motion of the vehicle, for example the crankshaft or main shaft which is linked to the transmission of the vehicle.
It is known in the prior art to use a converter or transducer, which is mechanically coupled to a flexible drive shaft, to convert the available drive component into a series of electrical pulses which is then processed by electronic circuitry and, thereupon, used to indicate passenger fares.
Difficulties have arisen as to where and how to mount the transducer relative to the taximeter housing. One factor to be considered is that the tachometer also includes a mechanical flexible driveshaft and that this shaft, as well, is to be mechanically connected to the transducer.
Another critical factor to be considered is the spatial relationship between the drive component and the taximeter housing. The housing is generally located in the front portion of the vehicle adjacent the driver and mounted at an elevation so that the passenger can readily read the indicated fare; the drive component is generally located below and forwardly of the passenger compartment. In short, the flexible mechanical shaft connected with the drive component must traverse a complex three-dimensional distance in order to be directly connected with the taximeter housing. However, although these mechanical shafts are flexible, they impose the additional requirement that they are inoperative if they are bent in sharp radius bends. This aspect greatly complicates the mounting arrangement.
Another factor to be considered is that the mounting arrangement must be relatively quick and service-free. Initial installation, subsequent maintenance repairs or readjustment of the gears of the taximeter to accommodate different fare rates are operations which are all required to be done efficiently and quickly.
The prior art has not adequately resolved these aforementioned factors. One approach of the prior art has proposed screw-tight connections between the mechanical flexible shaft and the taximeter housing; thus making disconnection difficult and time-consuming, especially when threaded coupling nuts are used. Other approaches have used separate series-connected transducers which must be specially mounted. The electric wire for the transducers must be initially soldered in situ with the transducer at one end of the wire in a separate soldering operation and then soldered again in situ with the electronic circuitry of the taximeter at the other end of the wire. Thus, servicing is difficult because of the time and labor involved in the mounting and demounting operations of the prior art.